All posts in "Entrepreneurship"

I have been traveling the world and working from my laptop since 2010. In that time I have carried a 15.4″ 5.5 lb machine, an 11.6″ 3.5 lb featherweight, and everything in between. Recently, I was in the market for a new laptop and was surprised for find how difficult it was to filter through all the options. I found $1,500 computers that didn’t have the processing power of $1,000 systems. Given the amount of time I spent comparing CPUs and systems to find the best option, I wanted to share some of that knowledge to make your buying decision easier.

First, let’s take a look at my requirements in a laptop. I wanted something that was at least as powerful as the computer I bought five years ago. Ideally, I would like it to be a little faster, lighter, and smaller. The computer I would be replacing is a Toshiba Satellite L855 with the i7-3630QM quad-core processor, 8 GB of RAM, 100 GB SSD, and 500 GB HDD. I bought this computer as an open-box sale model at Staples five years ago for $500 and put another $100 into the SSD upgrade. I also moved the original HDD into the DVD bay using a mounting bracket I picked up on Amazon. At the time, this was a good deal. I’m surprised to find that five years later it’s difficult to replace this laptop for the $600 I have in it. Here’s what I’m looking for in the replacement computer:

i7 quad-core CPU that is at least as fast as my current laptop, preferably faster

8 GB of RAM, preferably 16GB

solid state drive for a quick startup

less than 5.5 lbs

12″ – 14″ screen

I’ll start with the conclusion if you want to just see what I bought. However, I considered several options and a couple different travel styles that may appeal to you if you don’t like the laptop I chose.

Asus Zenbook UX430UA-DH74

Intel Core i7-8550U Processor (quad-core)

16 GB RAM

512 GB SSD

2.75 lbs

14″ HD display

This computer is thin and light with a 14″ HD display, Intel Core i7-8550U Processor, 16 GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD. Over the past five years, I have moved from earning some of my income online to relying entirely on my laptop and internet connection to pay my bills. For this reason, spending a little extra to get a great computer was a good business decision.

Lenovo Yoga 910

The Lenovo Yoga 910 was a strong contender for my new computer. It has a slightly faster CPU than my previous laptop, more memory, and the bonus feature that the screen turns around to function as a tablet. However, the tablet function is not a necessity, and the Asus Zenbook offers a faster computer for less money. Since I don’t do any work that takes advantage of drawing on the screen, the Zenbook was a better choice for me. If you could use a stylus and the option to draw on the screen, then this is a great choice.

ASUS Transformer Mini

Intel Atom (quad-core)

4 GB RAM

128 GB EMMC

1.7 lbs

10.1″ screen

Right upfront, you’ll see that this does not meet most of the requirements I listed above. However, this computer has some unique benefits that make it a great option for digital nomads that don’t require a lot of performance from their laptop (or short infrequent trips away from your primary computer).

ASUS Transformer Mini T102HA-D4-GR, 10.1” screen 2-in-1 Touchscreen Laptop, Intel Quad-Core Atom, 4GB RAM, 128 GB EMMC, with the pen and keyboard included. This is an interesting alternative to the laptops above since it can be charged from any USB just like a cellphone. For frequent travel, the small size, weight, and charging option makes this an option worth considering.

Imagine this, pack the tiny 1.7 lb Asus Mini in your bag and hit the road. It has 11 hours of battery life builtin, but you could use a backup battery like the one listed above to extend that to around 30 hours. If you’re not doing anything too processor intensive then this is a great option. You could brows the web, write, and check email for days without recharging the battery.

Unfortunately for me, I do use more processing power than this computer offers frequently enough that I cannot use this option. Also, I prefer slow travel and will be spending three months traveling around Europe with my laptop. The Transformer Mini would be good for me to use on weekend trips or two week getaways where I could plan to do less CPU intensive work during the trip. However, it will not meet my needs during extended travel.

Apple Macbook Pro

i7-7820HQ (quad-core)

16 GB RAM

256 GB SSD

6.4 lbs

15″ screen

Apple 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina display, 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 Quad Core, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD at 6.4 lbs. While I didn’t even consider buying an Apple computer for myself, this list would not be complete without mentioning this popular computer for digital nomads. Read any forum discussing favorite laptops for digital nomads and you will find a long list of people that are very happy with their MBP.

There are two reasons I did not consider the Apple brand:

The Apple logo screams “take me” when you turn your back on the laptop at a cafe.

This Macbook costs almost double the price of the computer I bought, and the Apple laptop is heavier while only slightly faster.

While the CPU in this laptop is significantly faster than the Yoga mentioned above, it is only slightly faster than the Zen computer I bought. Also, it is the heaviest of the four laptops mentioned here. Unless you are an Apple fan, one of the options listed above offers a better value for your money. On the positive side, the additional graphics memory and CPU speed would make this a better option if you work in graphics. Professional photographers, graphic editors, and video editors should consider this laptop to be their best choice. Since I don’t do much more than work with Canva, the extra graphics memory would only give me an excuse to spend more time playing video games – and this is a work computer.

Many clients have been asking me to offer a more complete solution for their website. I have helped them 2X, 10X, and 12X their businesses and now they’re struggling with more technical challenges. Things like redesigning their site, upgrading to HTTPS, and troubleshooting their site – these have proven to be significant hurdles.

Starting today, I’m making it easier for businesses to get the web development services they need in addition to the conversion rate optimization consulting I have been offering. Continue reading

Once you have a niche website setup, and begin getting some traffic, Google AdSense becomes a very appealing way to start earning some money. This is a common first step for most niche sites, so it’s worth a deeper exploration. Let’s take a look at what is required to earn $100 per day using AdSense and other similar ad networks. After that, we’ll delve into the typical income generated by niche sites just getting started with monetization through ads.
A couple of sites have created great articles outlining the amount of work that goes into generating $100 per day from a monetization strategy using ads. RankXL and Grow Traffic are the two sites we will discuss here. Continue reading

I’ve mentioned this phrase, “selling without selling out”, several times on this blog and in my videos on Periscope. I’d like to take a moment to break that down a little bit and explain exactly what I mean by this. Continue reading

My clients are great at the bit about blogging for fun. They absolutely love the work they are doing with their website and truly enjoy serving their audience. Some have been putting in hours building their sites for years, with little to no income to show for their effort. That profit bit is where they often get stuck, and that’s the part I can help with. Continue reading

A few months ago, I learned about the Wikimedia Conference in Berlin. Being one of the three founders of the Triangle Wikipedians user group in North Carolina, I had the opportunity to attend the conference this year. The main reason I was able to go when the other two founding members could not is that I’m a digital nomad. This means my work travels with me, and that’s why I was able to spend five weeks in Europe this summer. Here’s how I live and work from anywhere in the world – and you can too. Continue reading

I recently gave a presentation at the Raleigh SEO Meetup Conference which talked about why I decided not to deliver the SEO results my client asked for. The title and subtitle were selected because they would get the attention of attendees at the Raleigh SEO Meetup Conference. You see, I organized this conference and here I was giving a presentation about not using SEO. This conflicting message got people to attend my talk and learn how I was helping clients with niche site monetization. Continue reading

The Raleigh SEO Meetup Conference was a huge success. Being the first year for this event, I used the Lean Startup Methodology to test my ideas, measure results, and pivot when needed. This is the same process I use when working with clients, and I use Lean Principles in my own businesses all the time. Continue reading

Have you ever had a business idea that you thought would be a hit, but couldn’t find the courage to run with that idea?

Maybe you’re one of the many entrepreneurs that has created a very successful business that you loathe running.

Another common problem for us entrepreneurs is the “shiny object syndrome.” You know, there are a dozen great projects you want to work on – so you try to do them all. Or, even worse, you try to focus on a different one each week just to see which one will workout.

If you’re in any of these situations, there is a very easy solution to your problem. Continue reading